Card record apparatus



Feb. 23, 1932. J. w. WHITSON CARD RECORD APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet INVENTUR JWVVHITEDN Feb. 23, 1932. I J. w. WHITSON1,846,779

CARD RECORD APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 EN WN JWWTHMVFeb 23, 1932. J. w. WHITSON CARD RECORD APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTDR .JWWHITSUN Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT: OFFICE zomr WEI'IBON, or oaxmnn, oemonnu cum nnooan manureApplication ma January 5, 1925. Serial no. sea.

This invention relates to improvements in' ment in a container or box,may be quickly and accurately selected and moved into accessibleposition out of alignment with the other cards through a simple andeasily effected o eration, for example as by the manipulation of fingerkeys suitably designated and located.

One of the purposes of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thecharacter described which will be comparatively simple as toconstruction and arrangement, compact;

inex ensive, accurate in its operation an whic will rovide for aconsiderable savin W in time in t e maintaining and operation 0 a cardrecord system.

Another pur oseof the invention is to provide a card ling mechanism ofthe character described wherein there is provided an arrangement offinger keys simulating the keyboard of a typewriter, the manipulation ofcertain keys providing for selection of cards desired to be segregatedfrom the group of cards, there being a means which will move theselected cards out of position of alignment with the remaining cards,which means is put into operation by the depression of another fingerkey or keys.

The machine of this invention embodies a practical device for carryingout the method disclosed in my previous application entitled Segregatingsystem for cards, filed March 26, 1918, Serial No. 224,917.

With the above mentioned and other ob; jects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth inthe claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claims maybe resorted to without departing from the spiritor sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring to the drawings: v Fig. 1 represents .a lan view of themechanism of this invention with follower removed. I

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal sectional view of the mechanism 0 thisinvention.

Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectional view of the mechanism taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents another cross sectional view of the mechanism taken online 4-4 of 1 Fig 2. ig. 5 represents a front view of one of the cards.v

Fig. 6 represents an end elevation of one of the cards- 55 Fig. 7represents a fragmentary elevatio of a. card showin in sectlon one ofthe rods associated with the card, in position to prevent movement ofthe card, in full lines, and v in dotted lines as when innon-obstructing position. I

, Fig. 8 represents a view similar to Fig. 7 showing in full lines, therelation of the card and rod after the card has been moved to the rightand the rod has been moved back to normal position and has lifted thecard, and showing in dotted lines the relation of the card and rod afterthe card has been moved to the right but before return of the rod tonormal position and consequent lifting of the card, the card as shown infull lines being held above the rod by frictional engagement with theother cards.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawingscomprises a casing 1, made up of a card compartment 2, a mechanismcompartment 3 and a keyboard 4. Cards 5 are supported onflexibleupwardly bowed bars or rods 6 extending beneath the cardcompartment and fastened at their ends to supports 7. These rods extendbetween guide bars 7 whichv project downwardly from brackets 8 and 9. Aplurality of finger keys 10 are fixed to the bars 6 and extend above thekeyboard 4. On depression of a key the rod to which it is attached isflexed downward past center, clear of the lower edges of the cards andremains in a downward bow as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 100

' lines-in Fig. 3. When cards have more than 2. Those of the bars 6 notdepressed support the cards.

The cards are of uniform'size and shape except that at their lower edgeshave different physical characteristics, that is, each card may have adifferent characteristic or a group or grou s of cards may have commonchar acteristics, different however, from other group characteristics,each card hasametal, preferably steel strip, on its lower edge. The

- strip is fastened by hooks 12 and lugs 13 to j? the card and, in thisinstance, the card comprises a single card sheet folded to provide adouble card, there bein notches 14 at the ends of the fold for thesponding in number to the number of the rods 6, extend downward'from thestrip and receive the rods 6 between them. By. this arrangement-thecards are stacked evenly in Y the compartment.

The different characteristics are provided by breaking or cutting oficertain of the lugs on each card. For example, one card may have all ofthe lugs cut off except the third one from the left end, or this cardmayhave all but two 'or three lugs removed. The lugs extend to the leftof the rods and a card having only one lug, the first-one on the leftend, for example, 18 held in position of ali ment with the other cardsby the first r 6 on the left, which-rod is. actuated by the keydesignated The (see Fig.1) \Vhen the rod carrying the The key isdepressed, the card or cards as the case may be, having but one lug, thefirst one on the left will be free to be moved to the right out of linewith the remainder of the cards, as shown in dotted one lug, the keysrelating to said lugs, when depressed, move the rods controlling saidlugs out of position and such cards are free to be moved out of positionas will be later described more fully. Thus, it will be seen that thecards may be selected at the will of I the operator according to certaincharacteristics, by de ressing the finger keys. For example, if theoperator desires to select all of the cards marked D, U, E, he depressesthe D, U, and E, keys. If a card is identified as J. Doe, the operatordepresses the J. D, O, and E keys, to release the card desired. Vari-.ous selections of this kind may be quickly and accurately made withoutrequiring that the operator touch the cards, the mere depression of theproper keys being all that is required to select individual cards orgroups of cards.

The cards with the lugs thereon and the finger key-control rods comprisemeans for releasingly holding the cards in alignment, which means isselectively operable to. release a card, that is any card of a'group orin'fact any cards of a group. The means which will be later described,provides for moving cards out of alignment so that they may be removedfrom the card compartment, exerts an influence on all of the cards,consequently the selecting means hereinbefore described serves toreleasingly hold the cards in alignment against this influence,;and saidmeans is from the box as desired.

1 This means is'preferably set into operation by the depression of a keyor keys as the case may be, and exerts a force suchthat the card orcardsdesired will be bodil moved, as above described. In the presentlnstance, I employ two forces, one acting to move the cards laterallyout of alignment and the other to move the cards vertically, theseforces being controlled by two finger keys. One force however, pullingoutwardly and upwardly on the. cards, would'bring the cardsvtoapproximately the same out-of-alignment position. In this embodimentof my invention, 1 use magnetic forces preferably derived fromelectro-magnets, there being a group of electro-magnets 18 arranged inthe compartment 3 on one side of the cardrece taole 2. These magnetshave their cores 19 isposed so that on energizationof the magnets, thoseof thecards which are released will be moved to the right, due to theattraction by the cores of Y the metal strips on the cards. Thesemagnets are arranged to be energized by a suitable sides of the group ofrods-and a lower connecting portion 25 to which a trip member 26 issecured. This trip is hinged as at 27 within the compartment 3. The tripmember 26 is rovided with an upturned end or flange 28 disposed beneaththe bars 6 in such position that when the member 24 is moved upwardly'bythe magnets, the portion 28 will engage the bars and move them out ofdownward flexed 'or bowed position into'uppermost position. Thesemagnets are controlled by a push-button switch 29 mounted adjacent theswitch 20 on the keyboard and when energized so as to'causethe trip tomove upwardlythe portion 28 of the trip to engage the bars 6 and movethem past center thereby causing the bars 6 to snap into uppermostposition and the cards which-havebeen moved laterally to one side oftheir normal positions, to be pushed upwardly with respect to a theother cards. The lower ends of the lugs 17 on the cards are engaged bythe bars 6 mentioned.

If the operator desires to select a card or cards from a group, forexample, the card bearing the designation J. R. Doe, he depresses thekeys designated J..R.YD., or de-' pending on the method ofinstalling thesystem, may have to spell out the entire name,

at any rate,the depression of these keys will move the rods 6 downwardlybelow the lugs 17 of the card or cards selected,leaving said cards freeto be moved to the right. The operator then depresses the push buttonswitch 20 and energizes the magnets 18 so that the magnets will attractthe strips on all the cards and" move the selected cards to the right;out of alignment with the remainder'of-the cards. This movement of thecards disposes the lugs 17 on the cards over the bars which aredepressed, said bars re maining depressed until released by the trimember 26. To cause the selected cards whic have been moved out ofalignment to be raised above the other cards so that they may be graspedat their upper edges and removed from the receptacle or lifted into suchposition that they may be read, the operator depresses the switch 29 andenergizes the magnet 21. This lifts the member 24 which raises the trip26 and causes the upstanding member 28 to engage the bars 6 and liftthem upwardly. As the bars-6 move past center in their upward movement,they snap quickly in their upwardly bowed position and engage the lugs17 on the cards which have been moved, thus causing said cards to beforced upwardly above the other cards. The frictional engagement of theselected cards between the cards of the group or stack, is suf' ficientto maintain the raised cards in lifted position.

With the mechanism of this invention it will be seen that any card orcards or grou' s of cards, may be selected in comparative y easy andaccurate manner by the .mere depression of finger keys. The operatoruses the keyboard very muchas a typewriter keyboard is used in order toselect a card or group of cards and on pressing the switches willcausethe card to be moved into position to be removed from the othercards, or segregated. No matter in what way the cards are arranged, theones selected,through the manipulation of the finger keys,will at alltimes be segregated on operation of the push buttons. This is a distinctadvantage in that no special order of filing or arranging of the cardsneed be followed and the operator on returning the cards to thereceptacle need .in the maintaining and operation of a card theimportant advantages 0 this invention is that it will provide for agreat saving in time record system.

It is obvious that the keys with which the I selecting of the-cards iseffected. may be alphabetically or numerically designated. 1 also wishit understood that various other designations may be used and that othermethods of selection may be made with the apparatus of the invention. Inthe present instance the selection is made in a positive manner bymoving the selected card out of alignment with the remainin cards butobviously this may berevers and those of the cards not desired may bemoved out o alignment with the desired card.

The double card provides for a better attachment of the lug strip inthat it presents a smooth card face .and does not form any obstructionwhich would tend to interfere with the free removal or insertion" of thecards from the stack. Fig. 6 shows that the front and rear faces of thecards are free from interfering obstructionsof any kind.-

A- suitable follow .block 30 is adjustably mounted in the cardcompartment and provides for holding the cards in a sufiiciently tightpack to insure the maintaining of a raised card in elevated position dueto the frictional engagement thereof with the cards not raised.

, I claim:

1." Card record apparatus comprising a card compartment, a plurality ofcards mounted in the compartment, each of which cards is adapted to bemoved by magnetic attraction, means for subjecting cards to magneticattraction, selectively operable means releasably holding cards againstmovement when cards are subjected to magnetic attraction.

2. Card record apparatus comprising a not ut them in any specialosition. One-of cards,-a plurality of rods extending across the underedges of the cards, means for moving the rods into and out of positionto be engaged by the lugs and to prevent lateral movement of the cardsand means for ap-' plying a force to all of the cards which force tendsto move the cards laterally and causes movement of those of thecardswhich are released.

4. Card record mechanism comprising a card compartment," a plurality ofcards mounted in the compartment, which cards are adapted to be movedbymagnetic attraction, means for applying magnetic attraction to thecards and tending to move all of them and selectively operable meansreleasably holding the cards in alignment which means is adapted torelease any of the cards.

' 5. A card record mechanism comprising a casing including a cardcompartment, a pluedges of the cards, a plurality of rods extendingbetween the lugs and supporting the cards in place, means forselectively moving said rods out of position between said lugs torelease a card for movement into position of said members, means forflexing the-rods out of alignment with the other cards and means formoving the selected cards into a position out of alignment with theother cards.

6. A card record mechanism comprising a casing having a cardcompartment, a plurality of cards mounted in the compartment, membersprojecting downwardly from the lower edges of the cards. a nluralitv ofrods movable into and out of position to been- 8. Acard rods capable of,beingflexe gaged by the members to prevent movement of the cards, meansfor selectively moving the rods out' of card-obstructing position,

means for moving the cards which are re leased into position out ofalignment with the remaining cards and with the members disposedimmediately over the top of'the rods which are moved out of obstructingposition andmeans for moving the rods back into obstructing position,which rods on such movement-will engage said members and move cardsupwardly; j

7. A card record mechanism comprising a casing having a cardcompartment, a, plurality of cards mounted in the compartment,

members projecting downwardly from the lower edges of the cards, rodscapable of being. flexed into and out of position to be engaged by saidmembers means for flexing the rodsout of card-obstructing position-andmeans forfiexing the rods into card-obstructing position.

record mechanismcomprising a card compartment, a plurality of cardsmounted in the compartment a plurality of into and out of ositiontoobstruct movement of the cards an means fonflexing said rods out of cardobstructing-"position; and means for flexing the rods intocard-o ructingposition. 9. (lard rec'ord mechanism comprising a card "compartment, aplurality of cards mounted in the compartment, a plurality of flexiblerods extending beneath and on which Y said cards are supported, membersprojecting downwardly from the lower edges of the cards on the sidesofthe rods, means-for flexing said rods to position below said memhere torelease the cards, means providing for movement of the released-cards tobring themembers immediately overthe down- -wardlyflexed rods andmeans-for causing movement of the flexed 'rods into card-0bstructingposition operable to release a'card and means for movingdsaid card,outof alignment with the held car s;

*13fCard record apparatus comprising a card compartment, cards mountedin the compartment, "means on operation of which all of the'car'ds areinfluenced to move and means holdin' the cards against movement, whichmeans is selectively operable to release a card and permits said cardtomove under the influence of the first-named means.

j "14. Card record apparatus comprising a, card compartment, cardsmounted in the com p'artmcnt, means holdingthe card against movement inone d1rect1on,'wh1ch means 1s selectively operable to release any cardand means which when operated will move thereleased card relative tothose that are held.

15. Card record apparatus comprising a card compartment, a plurality ofcards mounted in the compartment, each of which e cards is adaptedforfmovement when under magnetic attraction, means for subjecting cardsto magneticfattraction, means holding cards against movement when cardsare subjected to magnetic attraction, which means is selectivelyoperable to release a card. 3 7

l6. Card'record apparatus including selccting means and record cardsadapted for .movementby magnetic attraction, magnetic means for movingselected cards and means for supporting the cards in operative relationto said magnetic means.

' 17;Card record apparatus including selecting means and record cardswhich are re sponsive to magnetic attraction, means for magneticallyattracting selected cards and means for supporting the cards inoperative relation to said magnetic means.

18. A record card for use in card segregating apparatuses which card isprovided with a. surface adapted to receive record matter, meansassociated with and for ren dering the card subject to movement bymagnetic attraction and an abutment member extending outwardly from amarginal edge of the card for the purpose of engagement by saidapparatus holding the cardagainst movement when subjected to magneticattraction.

19. A record card for use in card segregating apparatuses which card isprovided with a surface adapted to receive record matter, a metallicelement carried by the card and which makes the card subject to movementby magnetic attraction, and an abutment member projecting outwardly froma marginal edge of the card for the purpose of engagement by saidapparatus holding the card against movement when subjected to magneticattraction.

20. A record card for use in card segregating apparatuses and which isadapted to be moved by magnetic attraction, said card having a surfaceadapted to receive record' matter and an abutment member on said cardfor the purpose of engagement by said apparatus holding the card againstmovement when subjected to magnetic attraction.

21. Card record apparatus comprising a card compartment; a plurality ofcards mounted in the compartment; means a predetermined operation ofwhich influences all of the cards to move; and means normally holdingthe cards against movement but operable to selectively release them,which last-named means permits a card so released to move under theinfluence of the first-' named means, and includes elements fixed to andsu ported by the cards.

' 22. ard record apparatus comprising a card compartment; cardsm'ountedin the compartment; means normally holding the cards againstmovement in one direction, which means is adapted for selectiveoperation to release any card and includes elements fixed to andentirely supported by said cards; and means a predetermined operation ofwhich tends to move all the cards but which will move any released cardrelative to the remaining cards.

23. Card record apparatus including a support; a plurality of recordcards mounted on the support and being distinguished from one another bydifferences in contour; means associated with each card and carriedthereby for rendering the cards subject to movement by magneticattraction; normally holding all of the cards against said movement, butselectively operable for releasing a card but selectively operable forreleasing a card I having said abutment members in given positions; andmagnetic means for moving said released card.

25. Card-selecting apparatus including cards and card selecting meansand means providing for the'movement of selected cards through theinstrumentality of magnetic at-,

traction.

26. A record card for use in card segregating apparatuses of the typedescribed, means associated with the card for rendering the same subjectto movement by magnetic attraction, and a plurality of retainingelements on the card subject to selective removal for purposes ofrendering the card subject to said movement for the purpose ofsegregation.

27. The combination with a card-selecting apparatus including a cardcompartment, a stack of magnetically responsive cards in the comartment, and a mechanism to select a car or cards from the stack ofcards, of magneticmeans to move any selected card or cards relatively tothe other cards.

28. Cards for a card-filingapparatus, each card being provided with asurface to receive record matter, means assoclated with each card forrendering the card subject to-move ment by magnetic attraction and aseries of abutments carried by said means, certain of said abutmentsbeing adapted to be severed to distinguish one card from another.

29. Cards for a card-filing apparatus, each card being provided with asurface to receive record matter, means associated with each card forrendering the card subject to movement by magnetic attraction, and aplurality of spaced abutment members projecting out wardly from a marginof each means, of

which predetermined abutments are removable to provide enlarged spacesbetween abut ments to thereby distinguish one card from another by thedifferences in the position of the enlarged spaces between the remainingabutments.

30. A record card for use in card segregating apparatuses, which card isprovided with a surface adapted to receive record matter, an armatureassociated with and for rendering the card subject to movement bymagnetic attraction, and an abutment member extending outwardly from amarginal edge of the armature for the pur ose of engagement by 5 saidapparatus, hol ing the card against movement when subjected to magneticattraction.

JOHN W. WHITSON.

